Obscure NHL Facts [1] Trivia Quiz

Answer: He died on April 22nd, 1939

Howie Morenz actually died on 8th March 1937. After Earl Seibert broke his leg during a game on 28th January 1937, he was sent to the hospital. That same year, on March 8th, he was complaining about chest pains, tried to get up to go to the bathroom, then he collapsed and died.

His N.H.L. debut was 26th December 1923, against the Ottawa Senators, where he scored his first goal. Throughout his career he played on three Stanley Cup winning teams, one was his rookie year of 1923-24, again in 1927-28, and finally in 1929-30 (all while he was playing for the Montreal Canadiens).

Answer: Reginald Smith

Reginald Smith is possibly the most famous Montreal Maroon of all-time. He captained the Maroons from 1932-1936, before being traded to Boston. While playing for the Maroons, he, Albert Seibert, and Nels Stewart became one of the first well-known forward lines. They became known as the "S" line, because all of their last names begin with the letter "S".

Harry Broadbent was the first captain of the Maroons, he captained them during their inaugural season of 1924-25. Duncan Munro took over as captain after him, from 1925-1928. Munro suffered a heart attack after the 1927-28 season. As a result, Nelson Stewart took over as captain after that, from 1928-1932.

Answer: Herb Cain

Herb Cain played for the Boston Bruins during the 1943-44 season. He scored 36 goals and collected 46 assists that year to score 82 points. This was the only year he won the N.H.L. scoring title. This was a bigger total than Doug Bently's 76 points the previous year.

His point totals that year stood as an N.H.L. record until Gordie Howe surpassed it in the 1950-51 season with 43 goals and 43 assists for 86 points. Despite losing in the Stanley Cup finals the previous year, and these scoring totals, Cain's team failed to qualify for the playoffs that year.

Answer: 5 goals, 3 assists

On December 28th, 1944, Maurice Richard scored 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points to help the Montreal Canadians trounce the Detroit Red Wings, 9-1. This game was a great suprise to Maurice, because he had helped his family move that day, and was tired from carrying many boxes, and a piano, into his new house. On February 6th, 1976, this record was beaten by Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who scored 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points in an 11-4 victory over Boston.

Answer: 11 years

In the summer of 1951, just a few months after Bill Barilko scored the Stanley Cup winning goal for the Maple Leafs, he was killed in a plane crash north of Cochrane, Ontario. In 1962, the plane and Barilko's body was found by helicopter pilot Ron Boyd, just north of Cochrane. That was the next year the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup.

Many people found this coincidence both fascinating and scary.

Answer: He signed a contract to play in the newly formed World Hockey Association

The World Hockey Association was a professional hockey team formed in 1972, made to compete with the National Hockey League. The W.H.A. new that they would need a superstar to help their league grow, so one of the World Hockey Association's hockey teams, the Winnipeg Jets, offered Bobby Hull a one million dollar contract to play for them.

After signing with Winnipeg, he wasn't allowed to play in this series, because it was a series made for the best Russians to play against the best Canadian N.H.L. players. Bobby was no longer playing in the National Hockey League, so he couldn't play for the canadian team.

The World Hockey Association folded at the end of the 1979 season due to financial problems, so it merged with the National Hockey League. Bobby retired at the end of the 1979-80 season, after playing with the Hartford Whalers.

Answer: 20 minutes

On February 23rd, 1985, Patrick Roy made his N.H.L. debut for the Montreal Canadiens, when after two periods, the Canadians starting goalie Doug Soetaert had equipment troubles. In the one period he played he did not allow a single goal. The next year, he became Montreals' starting goalie and led them to their only Stanley Cup of the 1980s.

Answer: 133rd

Daniel Alfredsson had a very dissapointing placement in the 1994 N.H.L. entry draft. He was expected to be drafted higher than he was, but he kept getting surpassed until the Ottawa Senators picked him 133rd overall. He started his N.H.L. career with Ottawa in 1995.

Answer: Seattle Metropolitans

The Seattle Metropolitans became the first American team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917, when they defeated the Montreal Canadiens three games to one. They were led by Bernie Morris, who scored 14 of Seattle total 19 goals that series. This was Seattle's only Stanley Cup before becoming defunct in 1924.

The Metropolitans did not win the cup as an N.H.L. team. During the late 1910's and 1920's, the Stanley Cup was competed for by the N.H.L. champions team, and the Pacific Coast Hockey League's championship team. the P.C.H.L.'s champion Seattle Metropolitans defeated the N.H.L.'s Montreal Canadian 3 games to 2 in a best of 5 series.

Answer: Noel Picard

During the game, Orr dumped the puck into St. Louis' end, so that teammate Derek Sanderson could pick it up. Orr then raced towards the net, where Sanderson gave him a tape-to-tape pass. Orr shot the puck into the net. He tried to skate away and celebrate, but Blues defenseman Noel Picard tripped Orr's skate, catapulting him in the air. Once he was airborn, his photo was taken before he hit the ice.

This is recognized as one of North America's greatest sports photos ever.